This Week: Transpo Budget Hearing, Car-Free Central Park

We just have a couple of events on the calendar for this holiday-shortened week, but they’re important ones. The City Council’s ongoing budget hearings turn to transportation, including financing for the DOT, MTA and TLC. Budgets are about priorities, and the hearing should reveal just what the transportation priorities of the City Council are.

Wednesday: Manhattan CB 8’s transportation committee discusses making Central Park car-free for a summertime trial period. Safety changes at the eastern end of 96th Street are also on the agenda. While the improvements are simple and common-sense measures, like striping high-visibility crosswalks to help people cross FDR service roads and get to the waterfront esplanade, they are encountering a surprising amount of resistance from some members of the board. 6:30 p.m.

There is also on thursday a Community Board 8 parks Committee meeting that will address proposed shared bike-pedestrian paths across Central Park at 97th and 103rd Street. Those who commute by bike across the park are urged to attend to let the Committee know that this measure is necessary due to the hazards facing cyclists on the only current legal routes across the park–the sub-grade transverses.

The meeting is 6:30, Thursday June 2, at the New York Blood Center (310 E.67)